SYNTAX

DESCRIPTION

The Set-ExecutionPolicy cmdlet changes the user preference for the Windows PowerShell execution policy.

The execution policy is part of the security strategy of Windows PowerShell.
It determines whether you can load configuration files (including your Windows PowerShell profile) and run scripts, and it determines which scripts, if any, must be digitally signed before they will run.
For more information, see about_Execution_Policies (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=135170).

NOTE: To change the execution policy for the default (LocalMachine) scope, start Windows PowerShell with the "Run as administrator" option.

EXAMPLES

-------------------------- EXAMPLE 1 --------------------------

PS C:\>Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned

This command sets the user preference for the shell execution policy to RemoteSigned.

-------------------------- EXAMPLE 2 --------------------------

PS C:\>Set-ExecutionPolicy Restricted
Set-ExecutionPolicy : Windows PowerShell updated your local preference successfully, but the setting is overridden by the group policy applied to your system. Due to the override, your shell will retain its current effective execution policy of "AllSigned". Contact your group policy administrator for more information.
At line:1 char:20
+ Set-ExecutionPolicy <<<< restricted

This command attempts to set the execution policy for the shell to "Restricted." The "Restricted" setting is written to the registry, but because it conflicts with a Group Policy, it is not effective, even though it is more restrictive than the policy.

-------------------------- EXAMPLE 3 --------------------------

This command gets the execution policy from a remote computer and applies that execution policy to the local computer.

The command uses the Invoke-Command cmdlet to send the command to the remote computer.
Because you can pipe an ExecutionPolicy (Microsoft.PowerShell.ExecutionPolicy) object to Set-ExecutionPolicy, the Set-ExecutionPolicy command does not need an ExecutionPolicy parameter.

The command uses the Force parameter to suppress the user prompt.

-------------------------- EXAMPLE 4 --------------------------

The first command uses the **Set-ExecutionPolicy** cmdlet to set an execution policy of **AllSigned** for the current user. It uses the **Force** parameter to suppress the user prompts.
PS C:\>Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope CurrentUser -ExecutionPolicy AllSigned -Force
The second command uses the **List** parameter of the Get-ExecutionPolicy cmdlet to get the execution policies set in each scope. The results show that the execution policy that is set for the current user differs from the execution policy set for all users of the computer.
PS C:\>Get-ExecutionPolicy -List
Scope ExecutionPolicy
----- ---------------
MachinePolicy Undefined
UserPolicy Undefined
Process Undefined
CurrentUser AllSigned
LocalMachine RemoteSigned
PS C:\>Get-ExecutionPolicy
AllSigned

This example shows how to set an execution policy for a particular scope.

-------------------------- EXAMPLE 5 --------------------------

This command uses an execution policy value of Undefined to effectively remove the execution policy that is set for the current user scope.
As a result, the execution policy that is set in Group Policy or in the LocalMachine (all users) scope is effective.

If you set the execution policy in all scopes to Undefined and the Group Policy is not set, the default execution policy, Restricted, is effective for all users of the computer.

-------------------------- EXAMPLE 6 --------------------------

PS C:\>Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope Process -ExecutionPolicy AllSigned

This command sets an execution policy of AllSigned for only the current Windows PowerShell session.
This execution policy is saved in the PSExecutionPolicyPreference environment variable ($env:PSExecutionPolicyPreference), so it does not affect the value in the registry.
The variable and its value are deleted when the current session is closed.

-------------------------- EXAMPLE 7 --------------------------

The first command uses the **Set-ExecutionPolicy** cmdlet to change the execution policy to RemoteSigned.
PS C:\>Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned
The second command uses the Get-ExecutionPolicy cmdlet to get the effective execution policy in the session. The output shows that it is **RemoteSigned**.
PS C:\>Get-ExecutionPolicy
RemoteSigned
The third command shows what happens when you run a blocked script in a Windows PowerShell session in which the execution policy is **RemoteSigned**. The **RemoteSigned** policy prevents you from running scripts that are downloaded from the Internet unless they are digitally signed.
PS C:\>.\Start-ActivityTracker.ps1
.\Start-ActivityTracker.ps1 : File .\Start-ActivityTracker.ps1 cannot be loaded. The file .\Start-ActivityTracker.ps1 is not digitally signed. The script will not execute on the system. For more information, see about_Execution_Policies at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=135170.
At line:1 char:1
+ .\Start-ActivityTracker.ps1
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (:) [], PSSecurityException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : UnauthorizedAccess
The fourth command uses the Unblock-File cmdlet to unblock the script so it can run in the session.Before running an **Unblock-File** command, read the script contents and verify that it is safe.
PS C:\>Unblock-File -Path Start-ActivityTracker.ps1
The fifth and sixth commands show the effect of the **Unblock-File** command. The **Unblock-File** command does not change the execution policy. However, it unblocks the script so it will run in Windows PowerShell.
PS C:\>Get-ExecutionPolicy
RemoteSigned
PS C:\>Start-ActivityTracker.ps1
Task 1:

This example shows the effect of the RemoteSigned execution policy, which prevents you from running unsigned scripts that were downloaded from the Internet.
It also shows how to use the Unblock-File cmdlet to unblock scripts, so that you can run them without changing the execution policy.

PARAMETERS

-ExecutionPolicy

Specifies the new execution policy.
Valid values are:

Restricted: Does not load configuration files or run scripts. "Restricted" is the default execution policy.

AllSigned: Requires that all scripts and configuration files be signed by a trusted publisher, including scripts that you write on the local computer.

RemoteSigned: Requires that all scripts and configuration files downloaded from the Internet be signed by a trusted publisher.

Unrestricted: Loads all configuration files and runs all scripts. If you run an unsigned script that was downloaded from the Internet, you are prompted for permission before it runs.

Bypass: Nothing is blocked and there are no warnings or prompts.

Undefined: Removes the currently assigned execution policy from the current scope. This parameter will not remove an execution policy that is set in a Group Policy scope.

-Scope

Specifies the scope of the execution policy.
The default is LocalMachine.

Valid values are:

Process: The execution policy affects only the current Windows PowerShell process.

CurrentUser: The execution policy affects only the current user.

LocalMachine: The execution policy affects all users of the computer.

To remove an execution policy from a particular scope, set the execution policy for that scope to Undefined.

When the value of the Scope parameter is Process, the execution policy is saved in the PSExecutionPolicyPreference environment variable ($env:PSExecutionPolicyPreference), instead of the registry, and the variable is deleted when the process is closed.
You cannot change the execution policy of the process by editing the variable.

INPUTS

Microsoft.PowerShell.ExecutionPolicy, System.String

You can pipe an execution policy object or a string that contains the name of an execution policy to Set-ExecutionPolicy.

OUTPUTS

None

This cmdlet does not return any output.

NOTES

When you use Set-ExecutionPolicy in any scope other than Process, the new user preference is saved in the registry and remains unchanged until you change it. When the value of the Scope parameter is Process, the user preference is stored in the PSExecutionPolicyPreference environment variable ($env:PSExecutionPolicyPreference), instead of the registry, and it is deleted when the session in which it is effective is closed.

If the "Turn on Script Execution" Group Policy is enabled for the computer or user, the user preference is saved, but it is not effective, and Windows PowerShell displays a message explaining the conflict.
You cannot use Set-ExecutionPolicy to override a Group Policy, even if the user preference is more restrictive than the policy.